Pattern wheel control system



Feb. 2, 1965 w. CARROLL 3,167,937

PATTERN WHEEL. CONTROL. SYSTEM Filed March 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR W/LL/AM L. CARROLL Feb. 2, 1965 w. 1 CARROLL 3,167,937

- PATTERN WHEEL. CONTROL SYSTEM Filed March 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Shea?l 2 n INVENTOR, VV/LL/AM L. CARRO/.L

BY ATTO/aver Feb. 2, 1965 w. L. CARROLL 3,167,937

PATTERN WHEEL CONTROL SYSTEM Filed March 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. l/l/f/ L/AMy L. CARRO/ L A T MRA/EY ii? Patented Feb. 2, 1965 hee 3,167,937 PATTERN WHEEL CNTROL SYSTEM William L. Carroll, 328 N. Newiin, Whittier, Calif. Filed Mar. 3i), 1962, Ser. No 183,836 a Claims. (ci. iss-sa) This invention relates to a pattern control system for circular knitting machines and, more particularly, to a pattern wheel adapted to be utilized in conjunction with a plurality of similar wheels to control the pattern which is being knitted into the fabric of a conventional rotary knitting machine.

Rotary knitting machines, as is Well known to those skilled in the art, customarily include a iixed bed and a rotatable bank of needles to which the yarn is fed from appropriate bobbins or spindles.

They also include, alternatively, a rotatable bed and a xed bank of needles. The present invention is applicable to either arrangement, but will be described hereinbelow as applied to a iixed bed type of machine. The yarns are of different colors and are adapted, upon proper actuation of the needles, to create a chosen pattern in the fabric being knitted. In conventional knitting machines of the character under discussion, the pattern of the fabric being knitted is established by a plurality of rotatable pattern wheels which are mounted upon the iixed bed of the machine in proximity to the rotating bank of needles and which are adapted to be rotated synchronously with said bank of needles by engagement with adjacent butt portions of seed needles.

Conventional rotatable pattern wheels include a plurality of needle-actuating jacks which must be painstakingly set manually in either extended or retracted positions by a skilled mechanic in order to establish the needle actuating pattern of said jacks. Therefore, each time a pattern is changed it is necessary to alter the position of the jacks in a plurality of pattern Wheels mounted in association with the knitting machine.

It is therefore, an object of my invention to provide a pattern control system for a circular knitting machine of conventional character which includes a plurality of pattern wheels, each of which has an individual pattern associated therewith and adapted to dispose the jacks incorporated therein in predetermined pattern creating positions without the necessity for the manually adjustment of said jacks prior to the operation of the knitting machine.V Therefore, the time consuming pattern wheel setting characteristic of conventional wheels is eliminated and a pattern on a particular knitting machine incorporating pattern wheels of the invention may be changed by the mere expedient of changing the patterns associated with the pattern wheels of the invention.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a pattern wheel of the aforementioned character wherein the pattern wheel includes a rotatable housing and incorporates a plurality of jacks having portions protruding through openings in the wall of said housing and adapted to be selectively received in corresponding openings in said pattern or rejected by blank areas of said pattern and whereby said jacks may be, respectively, extended from or retracted into said housing.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of an individual pattern for the aforementioned pattern wheel which is constituted by an endless loop of perforated tape formed from relatively strong material, such as the synthetic plastic Mylar and polyethylene, the apertures in said tape being adapted to receive the protruding portions of the aformentioned jack, to permit said jacks to remain in extended postions with respect to the associated housing and the non-apertured portions of said tapes being adapted to reject said protruding portions of said jacks to urge said jacks into retracted positions with respect to said housing.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of a pattern wheel 0f the aforementioned character in which the aforesaid pattern issues from a magazine which is operatively connected to the pattern wheel and whereby the pattern can be continuously issued from said magazine to control the location of the jacks of said pattern Wheel.

Another object of my invention is the provision, in a pattern wheel of the aforementioned character, of a magazine adapted to rec-eive an endless loop of pattern tape which continually issues from and is returned to said magazine, respectively, prior to and subsequent to its pattern forming function.

The implications of the teachings of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the rst place, the provision of pattern wheels constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention and actuated by a tape-type pattern eliminatesthe painstaking and tedious labor involved in the manual setting of the jacks on conventional pattern wheels.

Moreover, with conventional pattern wheel constructions it is necessary that the rotation of the pattern wheels be exactly synchronized with the rotation of the needle bank because of the fact that the pattern is rigidly established by the pattern wheels and any lack of synchronization would destroy the pattern effect. By utilizing the pattern wheels of the present invention, complete exibility of the pattern wheels with respect to the needle bank is achieved because of the fact that the tapetype pattern eliminates the necessity for the synchronization of the pattern wheels with the rotating needle bank.

Of course, with conventional pattern wheels the pattern iield is limited to a series of repetitious effects since each rotation of each pattern wheel can contribute only the predetermined number of pattern forming impulses to the needles of the needle bank of the knitting machine. However, by the utilization of a plurality of pattern wheels constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention, it is possible to achieve an endless variety of pattern etIects due to the fact that the pattern may be continuously altered as the pattern tape is rotated past he protruding portions of the jacks to energize the same.

The consequences of such flexibility of action are obvious since the tapes constituting the pattern tapes are formed from relatively thin material and an exceedingly large number of pattern creating apertures can be formed therein. Moreover, the pattern magazines can be readily removable from operative relationship with the associated pattern wheel housings so that the patterns may be readily changed in order that short runs of fabric may be achieved with a minimum expenditure of time and eiort.

Consequently, Jacquard effects can be achieved by the use of the pattern wheel control system of the invention without the necessity for extensive modification of the conventional machines to which it is applied. Thus, pattern effects of practically infinite variety can be achieved.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings which are for the purpose of illustration only and in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of a rotary knitting machine having the pattern control system of the invention installed thereupon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view showing the installation of pattern wheels of the invention in operative relationship with the perimeter of said knitting machine;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view showing the installation of one of the pattern wheels of the Ypattern wheel are controlled by the associated control pattern;

FIG. Suis a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the retraction of a needle actuating jack of 4a pattern wheel to permit a needle to remain inoperative; and l FIG. 9 is an exploded View showing the various corn- Vponents of the pattern wheel of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. l- 3 thereof, I show a circular or rotary knitting machine 1t) which includes `a base 12 supporting a bed 14, said bed having a rotatable bank 1d of needles 1S associated therewith. Therotatable bank 16 of needles 18 is supplied with yarn 20 from appropriate sources, not shown, so that the needles may knit a length of fabric 22.

Operatively associated with the bank 16 of needles 18 'fisthe pattern control vsystem 30 of the invention, saidy pattern control system being constituted by a plurality of pattern wheels 32 mounted on the bed 14 in immediate proximity to the rotatable bank 16 of needles 18. For purposes of clarity in illustration, only relatively few pattern wheels 32 have been shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. However, itis intended that thirty pattern wheels 32 be mounted on the bed 14 of the circular knitting niachinev in order that the pattern control system 3() of the invention may function as effectively as possible, as best shown in FIG. 2 of the. drawings.

Each of the pattern wheels `3:2' includes a substantially circular housing 34 which is angularly mounted on a bracket arm 36 by means of a bolt 38 whose lower extremityis engaged by a nut 42, as best shown in FIGS. 3

and 6 of the drawings. It will be noted that each pattern wheel. 32 is angularly oriented with respect to the bank 16 of needles'lS in order that; in a manner to be described in greaterdetail below, the needles 13 may be actuated to engage a length of yarn 2t).

Each pattern wheel 32, as best shown in FIGS. 4-9 of the drawings includes a base 44 having a plurality of perimetrical slots 46 formedthercin. The base 44 is provided with steps 48 and 52 as its perimeter in the region of the perimetrical slots 46.

Mounted upon the base 44 is a cylindrical wall 54 which incorporates a plurality of guide pins 56, for a purpose. which'will be referred to in greater detail hereinbelow.y The cylindrical wall 54' is shown in FIGS; 7 and 8 of the drawings, as'curved in vertical cross section and includes banks 58 and .62 of openings 64 and 66,

respectively. The apparent curvature. of the wall S4 is v vdue to the fact that thc sections of FIGS. 7 and 8 are taken at a 30 angle to the vertical axis of the wheel 32. The openings 64 of the upper bank '53 are staggered with respect to the openings 66 or the lowerzbank 62 to permit sufficient edge distance between said openings. The upper edge'of the cylindrical wall 54 incorporates .a continuous, annular concavity 72 whose inner wall is provided with a plurality of guide slots 74,`.as bestshown inFIG. 9 of the drawings. Y

Disposed within the cylndricalwall 54 and in spaced relationship therewith is a ring '7,6 kincorporating a plurality of angularly oriented slots 78 in its perimeten Thegrin'g 76 is disposed iii/encompassing .relationship with. an upwardly directed boss 82 formed integrally with .the base 44,

' asbest shown in FIG. 9 Vof the drawings. YIt will be noted that the peripheral wall of the ring 76 is shown as curved in the plane'of the slots 8 forthe reasons explainedabove.

Mounted in overlying relationship with the wall 54 and ring 76 is-a top plate 8d which,` as best shown infFIGS. 7-9 of the drawings, incorporates in its underside adjacent the periphery thereof an annular concavity or groove S6 corresponding to the annular concavity '72 in the cylindri-V cal wall 54 and mating therewith to deiine a retention chamber 88, as best shown in FIGS. .7 8 of the drawings. The top plate 84 incorporates a depending skirt 92 which, as best shown in FIG. 9 of the. drawings, incoporates a plurality of threaded bores 94 adapted to receive bolts @e or similar fasteners extending upwardly through corresponding openings 9S in the base 14....Also incorporated in the top plate 84 are openings 192 which correspond to threaded bores 1t4in the ring 76 and which are adapted to receive fasteners 168 to maintain the ring 7d against displacement with respect to the top plate 84.

Therefore, when thebase 44,.cylindrical wall 54, ring 76, and top plate 84k aredisposed in assembled relationshipthe lower edge of the cylindrical wall Se. is juxtaposed to the stepS2, thering 76 is disposed within the cylindrical wall 54, ythe peripheral' edge of the top plate 84 engages the corresponding upper edge of the cylindrical wall 54 andthe depending skirt 92 of the top plate S4 tswithin the ring 76 and encompasses the upwardly directed boss l82 of the base 44 to maintain the various components of the pattern wheel 32 in concentric and'operative relationship with one another. When so assembled, the bolts 96 extend upwardly through the corresponding opening 9S in the base plate 44 and engage theeorresponding threaded bores 94 in the top plate 84, .to maintain the .top plate S4 in operative relationship with the .base da. Furthermore, thebolts 1% extend throughthe corresponding Y openings 102 in the vtop platel S4 to engage the-threaded bores 104 in the ring 76.

A bushing 112 is, as best shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, located within the upwardly directed boss 82 ot the base @A and encompasses. the. shank of the bolt 38 to permit relative rotation between the bolt and the housing 34 of the .patternwheel 32.1 Moreover, there is defined between the cylindrical wall 54 and theV perimeter of the ring 76 a jack chamber 11e which, .as best shown in FIGS. 7-8 receives a plurality ofjacks 120. In'the present embodiment of. the invention it is contemplated that one hundred and sixty (i60) Vjacksbe incorporated in the pattern wheel 32'.

Each jack includes. a circular lobe 122at its upper extremity which is received in the retention chamberfi defined. bythe corresponding annular'recesses 72 .and 86 .in the cylindricalxwall 54 and top plate 84, respectively.

Therefore, each jack 12) is Vadapted to pivot within the jack chamber 11d.`

Formed in each jack 126 intermediate its Aextremities is a slot124 which 'is adapted,.as best shown in FIGS. 7-9 of the drawings to receive the substantially right-angularly bent upper extremity 126 of a jack actuating spring 123 whose lower extremity 136 is received in the corresponding slot 78 of the :ring .76. Therefore, the spring 123 associated with each jack 120 tends tobias the associated jack 12) outwardly toward the circular or cylindrical wall S4.

Each jack-120v has a rsubstantially'tlat frontedge .132 and there is formed thereupon a control protrusion or portiony 154tof arcuate conguration which is adapted to'be received in a corresponding :opening .64 or 66 of the upper and lower banks 58 and 62', respectively of openings.

nO-f course, asbest shown in FIG'. 7 of the drawings, the

ated openingstl and beyond the perimeter of therex-V `ternal surface ofthe kcylindrical wall'54. Y

Formed integrally with the lower extremity of each jack 121) is a guide portion 138 and a needle butt engaging and actuating portion 140. The guide portion 138 is adapted to move in the portion of the associated slot 46 formed in the upper step 52 of the base 44 while the needle butt engaging portion 140 is adapted to move in that portion of the associated slot 46 located in the lower step 48, as best shown in FIGS. 7-9 of the drawings. The associated spring 128 normally biases the jack 120 into an operative position in which the protrusion 134 thereupon projects through the associated opening 64, as best shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. Therefore, the needle butt engaging and actuating portion 140 of the jack 120 is disposed in a position in which it may engage the butt 142 of an associated needle 121 to cause said needle to be lifted, as best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, into a position in which it will engage a length of yarn 26 and cause said length of yarn to be knitted into an appropriate pattern, as will be more clearly described hereinbelow.

The pattern wheels 32 are rotated by the bank 16 of needles 1S by engagement of the outer extremities of the slots 46 upon the needle Shanks adjacent the butts 142 thereof and, therefore, a predetermined jack 120 will always register with a predetermined needle 18 in order that a predetermined pattern may be established in the fabric being knitted.

The bolt 38 has an enlarged cylindrical head 148 which, as best shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, is located within the depending skirt 92 of the top plate 84 and encompassed by a bushing 152 which serves as a bearing between the head 143 and said skirt to permit relative rotation between the bolt 33 and the housing 34 of the pattern wheel 32. The cylindrical head 14S of the bolt 38 has a radially extending flange 154 upon the upper extremity thereof adapted to restrain the bushing 152 against displacement from its location between said head and the depending skirt 92 of the top plate 84.

Mounted upon the cylindrical head 143 of the bolt 38 by means of a bracket 162 and bolts 164 is a magazine 166 incorporated in a housing 168 formed integrally with the bracket 162. The magazine 166 is adapted to receive a continuous pattern 170 which is constituted by a continuous loop 172 of tape, said tape being formed from a suitable plastic such as vinyl, polyethylene, or the like.

The magazine 166 is of the type which feeds the return run 174 to the perimeter of the magazine and feeds the outgoing run 176 from the center of the magazine, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. The pattern tape 172 is provided with guide openings 162 adjacent its opposite edges which, as best shown in FIGS. 7-8 of the drawings, are adapted to be engaged by the corresponding guide pins 56 mounted in the cylindrical wall 54. Engagement of the guide pins 56 in the guide openings 132 of the pattern tape 172 causes the pattern tape 172 to be drawn positively into encompassing relationship with the cylindrical wall 54 of the housing 34 of the pattern Wheel 32 and to lit in snug engagement with the perimeter of said cylindrical wall.

Incorporated in the pattern tape 172, as best shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings, are pattern apertures or openings 178 which are adapted to permit the protrusions 134 on the jacks 121B to project through the pattern tape 172 to permit the butt engaging portions 140 of the jacks 120 `to engage the corresponding butts 142 of the needles 18.

However, where no openings are provided in the pattern tape 172, the jacks 120 are urged inwardly against the bias of the actuating springs 128 into the inoperative position shown in FIG. 8 ofthe drawings.

When the jacks 120 are located in the inoperative positions of FIG. 8 of the drawings, the butt actuating portions 140 are withdrawn into positions in which they cannot possibly engage the butts 142 of the needles 18 thus permitting the needles 18 to remain inoperative and thus determining the pattern which is formed in the fabric being knitted.

When the rotary or circular knitting machine 10 is in operation, the pattern wheels 32 constituting the pattern control system Sti of the invention are continuously rotated with respect to the bed 14 upon which they are mounted. Such rotation occurs concomitantly with rotation of the needle bank 16 so that predetermined jacks are rotated into proximity to selected needles 18 to either actuate said nedles 18 or permit them to remain inoperative. The rotation of the individual pattern Wheels 32 is accomplished by engagement of the extremities of the slots 46 in the base plate 44 with corresponding needles 1S.

As previously indicated, the magazine 166 associated with each pattern wheel 32 is mounted ixedly upon the head 148 of the associated bolt 38 and, thus, the pattern wheels 32 rotate with respect to the associated magazines 166. Relative rotation of the pattern wheels 32 with respect to the iixedly mounted magazines 166 causes the continuous pattern 170 constituted by the continuous loop 172 of plastic tape to be drawn into operative relationship with the cylindrical wall 54 of the housing 34 of vthe associated pattern wheel 32.

Prior to installation in the magazine 166, the endless loop 172 of tape has been perforated to provide the pattern determining openings or apertures 17S therein and to establish a pattern which will be communicated to the fabric through the actuation or inactivation of the needles 18.

Therefore, when openings or apertures 178 are formed in the tape the protrusions 134 on the jacks 120 are permitted to pass through the tape. This permits the jacks 120 to move into positions in which the needle actuating portions thereof engage the corresponding butts 142 of the needles 18 to permit said needles to pick up the yarn 2t) and establish a pattern.

Obviously, an extremely long length of pattern tape 172 can be provided in the magazine 166, thus achieving a variety of patterns which is characteristic of that normally obtainable only by the utilization of relatively complex and expensive Jacquard knitting machines.

As can be readily visualized, the necessity for synchronizing the rotation of the pattern Wheels 32 with the rotation of the needle bank 16 so that the jack always engages a predetermined needle is eliminated. This is attributable to the fact that the endless loop 172 of tape permits extreme flexibility of actuation of the jacks 12) and thus eliminates the necessity for absolute synchronization between the pattern wheel 32 and the associated banks 16 of needles 18.

Moreover, the endless pattern 176 can be readily changed to substitute alternative patterns therefor. This eliminates the considerable down time characteristic of prior art machines wherein the jacks of the pattern wheels had to be adjusted manually. Obviously, the extreme flexibility of the provision of individual endless patterns for each pattern wheel 32 provides for a practically infinite pattern field since each pattern wheel is able to contribute to the ultimate pattern a far greater pattern expanse than was, of course, achievable by the utilization of prior art pattern wheels wherein the pattern was fixed by the mechanical positioning of one hundred and sixty jacks.

In other words, the provision of the endless loop 172 of pattern tape permits the individual jacks 12@ to impart to the associated needles 1S of the bank 16 of needles a very large number of individual pattern forming impulses, thus greatly multiplying the effect of each pattern wheel 32 in its contribution to the pattern tiled. The implications of this particular advance are obvious.

There is no necessity for extensive modification of the conventional circular knitting machine, and the relatively simple mounting of the pattern wheels 32 of the invention permits a conventional circular knitting machine to achieve results attainable previouslyV only on Jacquard machines. Obviously, the saving in mechanics time customarily expended in setting conventional pattern wheels is aV signiicant economic factor. Furthermore,

the long inoperative period resulting from the setting of said bed, the combination of; a plurality of pattern wheels mounted on said bed adjacent said bank 'of` needles, each of said pattern Wheels having a plurality` yof slots engageable with said needles to drive said pattern wheelV and an individual, continuous pattern associated therewith; a plurality of pivotal jacks in each of said pattern wheelz retractable by the associated pattern to prevent said jackstfrom energizing an associated needlein` saidV bank; and a magazine for said pattern xedly mounted upon each of said pattern wheels.

2. In a pattern wheel construction adapted toy be utilized in conjunction with a rotary knitting vmachine having a xed bed and a rotating bank of needles mounted upon said bed,the combination of: a plurality of pattern Wheels incorporating needle actuating jacks mounted on said bed in proximity to said bank of needles;

a pattern magazine superimposed above each of said pattern wheels, said pattern magazine having its outlet -and inlet immediately above said pattern wheel; and a jack engageable with an associated Wheel and the jacks therein trusion thereupon, each of said pattern wheels having` a plurality of openings in its perimeter adapted to receive the protrusion of an associated jack; a spring engageable with eachiof ysaid jacks forurging said protrusions through said openings; a pattern magazine xedly mounted immediately above each of said pattern Wheels and having its inlet and outlet in immediate proximity lto said pattern Wheel;and a jack actuating pattern in each of said magazines, each of saidpatterns being constituted by an endless tape which is continually fed to the perimeter of said pattern wheel to permit the ex-V tension` of or cause the retraction of said jacks, said pattern having a plurality of protrusion receiving openings therein registrable With corresponding openings iny ,an associated pattern Wheel to permit movement of the protrusions of said jacks througlil said protrusion receiving openings of said pattern and to cause the extension of said jacks.

4. InV a pattern controlling system adapted to be utilized in conjunction With fa rotary knitting machine having a txedbed and a plurality of knittingneedles mounted for rotation in a bank'onr said bed, the combinatino of: a plurality of rotatable pattern Wheels mounted on said bed of said knitting machine adjacentsaid bank of needles, each of said Wheels having a perimetricalwall incorporating a plurality of jack openings intermediate `its opposite edges and a plurality of pattern. guides mounted: in said Wal-l `adjacent said openings;

Ya plurality of jacks movably mounted in each of said` pattern `Wheels in juxtaposition to said Wall, each of said jacks having a jack-actuating protrusion thereupon intermediate its extremities extensible through a corresponding jack opening and having `aneedlebutt engaging an actuating portion on its lower extremity; `a

s Y pattern magazine xedlymounted above eachV of said wheels and having'outlet and inlet openings. adjacent said wheel; and an individualv pattern for each ofsaid Wheels adapted to be issued from the associated magazine to control the position of said jacksand, `thus, the actuation ofl individual ones of said needles, said pattern having pattern determining openings intermediate its edges adapted to register with corresponding jack openings in p an associated wheel to permit cert-ain'jack-actuating pro- .30 @actuating pattern in each of said magazines 'having a loop y .3. In -a pattern Wheel construction adapted to be` trusions to pass therethrough inorderthat the needle butt engaging portions of said jacksv may actuate asso,- ciatedV needles of said machine.

5. In a pattern controlling system adapted to be utilized in conjunction With ya rotary knitting machine having aixed bed and a plurality ofl knitting needles t mounted for rotation in a `bank on saidA bed,v the combination of: a pluralityof rotatable pattern wheels mounted on said bed of saidfknitting `machine adjacent said bankof needles, each of said Wheels having a plurality of jack openings in its perimetrical wallrintermediate the edges thereof and a plurality of jack receiving slots below` -said openings, saidr slots having portions engageable With said needles to permit said needles to rotate said Wheel; a plurality of jacks mounted in `each of said wheels, each of saidVv jacks having a jack-locating lprotrusion intermediate its'extremities and located in one of said jack openings in said perimetrical- Wall and a needleengaging .portion in Aan associated slotinsaid pattern Wheel for engagement with one of said needles; an individual pattern magazine mounted above each of saidvtheels having `its outlet and inlet openings in close proximity to the perimeter ofV said'wheels; and an individual pattern for each of said wheels, each of said patterns being constituted by an endless tape adapted to be fedffrom said magazine during rotation of the associated Wheel, said endless tape having pat-tern determining openings formed therein intermediate its edges and registrable with y position of individual yones of said needles; and individual control means mounted on each of said devices and adapted to determinethe 'positionof-said .needle actuating means, each control means including a magazine and an endles'stape, said magazine; being mounted adjacentV and over an associated pattern forming device and said tape having a loop engageable with an associated device.`

7. In` a pattern Wheel adapted to be utilized in conjunction with .a rotary knitting machine to control the actuation of the needles thereof,;the combination of: aV

housing adapted to be rotatably mounted on said knitting machine, said housing having a perimetrical Wall incorporating a plurality ofv jack Aopenings intermediate its edges and incorporating la plurality of slots below said jack openings; a plurality of jack 'insaid housing adapted to control the operationl of associated needles of said knitting machine, each of said jacks having ajack-loeating protrusionthereupon positionedffor movement in an associated jack opening, and having a needle engaging portionthereupon located'in an associatedslot; and 'a continuous individual pattern 1 magazine mountedadjacent land above said housing and engageablewith [said jacks to determine. the position thereof with respectV to said housing, said patternbeing Vconstituted byv a continuous tape mounted vin said magazine and having a loop partially enkcompasslng said perimetrical YWall vand' incorporating pat- -tern determining openingsregistrable withV said jack openingsto vpermit the passageof said :jack yprotrusionsthere- 9 through and the movement of said needle engaging portions of said jacks into operation positions in said slots to engage said needle.

8. In a pattern wheel adapted to be utilized in conjunction With a circular knitting machine, the combination of; a rotatable housing adapted to be mounted upon f said knitting machine, said housing having a plurality of jack openings in a Wall thereof and a plurality of jack receiving slots juxtaposed to said openings, said slots having needle engaging portions adapted -to permit said housing to be rotated by the needles of said knitting machine; a plurality of needle actuating jacks mounted for movement in said housing in proximity to said jack openings and having jack-locating portions protruding through said jack openings; a magazine mounted above said housing and in immediate proximity thereto; and an endless tape having its major portion enclosed within said magazine at all times and having a loop engageable with .the Wall of said housing, said tape incorporating pattern determining openings intermediate its edges registrable with corresponding jack openings to permit the protrusion of said jack-locating portions through said openings in said tape.

9. In a pattern wheel adapted to be utilized in conjunction with a circular knitting machine, the combination of: a rotatable housing adapted to be mounted upon said knitting machine, said housing having a plurality of jack openings in a Wall thereof and a plurality of jack receiving slots juxtaposed to said openings, said slots having t needle engaging portions adapted to permit said housing to be rotated by the needles of said knitting machine; a plurality of pivotally mounted needle actuating jacks mounted for movement in said housing in proximity to said openings and having jack-locating portions protruding through siad openings; a magazine mounted above said housing and in immediate proximity thereto; and an endless tape having its major portion enclosed Within said magazine at all times and having a loop engageable with the wall of said housing, said tap'e incorporating pattern determining openings intermediate its edges registrable with the corresponding jack openings to permit the protrusion of said jack-locating portions of said jacks through said openings in said tape.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 244,887 12/ 25 Great Britain.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner. 

1. IN A PATTERN WHEEL CONTROL SYSTEM ADAPTED TO BE UTILIZED IN CONJUNTION WITH A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A FIXED BED AND A ROTATING BANK OF NEEDLES ON SAID BED, THE COMBINATION OF: A PLURALITY OF PATTERN WHEELS MOUNTED ON SAID BED ADJACENT SAID BANK OF NEEDLES, EACH OF SAID PATTERN WHEELS HAVING A PLUALITY OF SLOTS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID NEEDLES TO DRIVE SAID PATTERN WHEEL AND AN INDIVIDUAL, CONTINUOUS PATTERN ASSOCIATED THEREWITH; A PLURALITY OF PIVOTAL JACKS IN EACH OF SAID PATTERN WHEEL RETRACTABLE BY THE ASSOCIATED PATTERN TO PREVENT SAID JACKS FROM ENGERGIZING AN ASSOCIATED NEEDLE IN SAID BANK; AND A MAGAZINE FOR SAID PATTERN FIXEDLY MOUNTED UPON EACH OF SAID PATTERN WHEELS. 